Biking is one of the healthiest exercises for modern men. Biking involves a big group of muscles including both upper and lower body muscles. Riding bikes is also a great form of transport, healthy, inexpensive and not depending on outside factors.
Biking also means spending more time outside, in the natural surroundings, bringing much-needed joy and pleasure into your life. Biking is evolving with new features that are introduced to improve on specific performances.
One of the latest trends in biking is fat-tire bikes. Aside from turning heads wherever they appear, fat-tire bikes have distinguished performances that are different than anything that has been seen before.
So you wish to know some of the pros and cons of fat tire bikes! Perhaps, you love biking and want to explore the latest trends. Maybe, you plan to buy a new bike and need help with making an ideal choice. No matter the reason, having handy details is always advisable.
What’s a fat tire bike?
Put simply, it’s a bike with fat or wide tires. You may wonder why not just buy a regular bike. After all, a bike is a bike. All you should do is sit on your bike and pedal around to get going wherever you like. Right! But all roads and terrains aren’t the same. A regular bike does offer the thrills and excitement of riding on roads and highways. However, it comes with certain limitations. This is where fat-tire bikes step in to resolve those limitations. Let’s check the varied benefits of these bikes and understand how it may help out.
Pros of fat bikes
Let you explore places and terrains you haven’t biked before
Fat tire bikes are extremely useful to cycling enthusiasts that don’t let anything confine them to indoor activities. These bikes present improved traction and grip on the most demanding terrains. Whether it’s a wet stone, snowy hills, or muddy paths, fat bikes will ride you wherever you like.
Gone are the days when people used to tie their bike to a tree and move ahead to complete their journey. Today, you can cover any surface, thanks to the perfect grip presented by a wide tire. Fat tires decrease the pressure of the biker and the bike by adding the extra contact surface feature. That’s the main reason why fat tires come in handy even if the ground is blanketed with snow.
You can even use fat bikes to ride on the mellowest beaches, which isn’t possible with regular bikes. These tires neither slip on a wet surface nor crack when hit by icy corners. Riding actually becomes feasible on unusual tracks with fat tires.
Better workout
Cycling isn’t just a means to travel around. Many people use cycling to workout their legs and lower body part. If this is your case, you should be happy to invest in fat-tire bikes.
These bikes are heavier. As a result, they offer a better workout. In spite of the bulky weight, you get to recover fast. How? No extra weight is put on your joints, which is the case with running or jogging. You work out for the same amount of time without straining your joints with a fat bike. However, the outcome is faster weight loss and better fitness in a short time-frame.
Enhanced riding comfort
You don’t need to inflate fat tires too much. They offer higher comfort standards even at lower tire pressure. These tires can support 15 or 10 psi or even lower pressure. Such an adjustment could be extremely handy when traveling through woods or other paths with low tire pressure.
As well, some fat tire bikes aren’t equipped with any suspension system. They’re rigid. They don’t need any suspension as it’s integrated into the tires. Fat tires get squishier at low-pressure values. Also, the bigger size of the rubber allows for more elasticity. That helps to absorb shocks, rendering the much-desired comfort when riding through difficult terrains.
Safer for beginners
Many folks stay clear of cycles fearing injuries. This is even more correct in the case of those who haven’t biked before. However, being afraid can keep you from the thrills and joy of riding. Also, you get to reach your fitness goals quickly through cycling.
The fear and skepticism can act as big obstacles in riding a bike. Fat tire bikes let you do away with these obstacles. The reason – these bikes are a bit slower. Compared to regular bikes, they run at a slow speed. Slow speed minimizes the chances of mistakes and subsequent accidents. Even if you fall from the bike, you may sustain minimal injuries due to slow speed. In other words, these bikes are safer, especially for beginners.
You could bike in all weather conditions
Some enthusiasts are really into the riding sport. No weather scares them from hitting the roads. However, harsh weather conditions could pose dangers when surfing dangerous roads. This is more so in the case of uneven hills or patchy roads.
Fat tire bikes are the ideal choice to complete the training routine. They’re likely to adjust to any sort of weather. They won’t slip on asphalt or wet stone. Plus, they won’t sink in snow or mud. That makes them the best means of transportation to move from one place to another, especially when public transports aren’t running. As these bikes are heavier, they’re likely to resist winds without jeopardizing your safety.
Let you participate in unique competitions
Biking competitions have been around for decades. Many biking enthusiasts participate in such competitions, but very few of them get success. If you think you lag in such competitions, try fat bike competitions. Many sports associations create events for those who own fat-tire bikes.
Even though the popularity of heavy bikes is increasing, there’s less competition. Also, not everyone is handy with riding a heavy bike. So, you could try your luck in these competitions and attain the desired success. All it takes is a little bit of practice to gain grace and excel in such events.
Less maintenance
You may wonder how a fat bike may need maintenance. Well, there are many reasons for low maintenance. First of all, the manufacturers of these bikes didn’t put in too much effort into the bike’s frames. That means not many parts could sustain damages and need a replacement.
Also, the heavyweight of the bike offers more resistance to any weather. Consequently, damages resulting from weather conditions are minimized to a great extent. Not just that, fat-tire bikes stand to the test of time as well as usage and require minimal care and maintenance in due course of time.
A new way to enjoy the fun
As far as usage is concerned, fat bikes are still in their infancy stage. A majority of people use traditional bikes for sports. To drive a growing number of users, many manufacturers add unique features to fat-tire bikes. These features and additions are simply the best to make riding fun.
Having a fat bike is a way to surf local trails and enjoy a different perspective. Plus, the effective suspension offered by fat tires helps you explore areas that could be biked only with tires with a wide rubber. Fat bikes also let you socialize while riding. Since the bikes drive slowly, you may chat with your dear ones while riding.
These bikes feature comical proportions, making them stand out even in a crowded place. Riding a fat bike isn’t about speed. On the contrary, it’s about enjoying the outdoor area at a slow, comfortable pace.
Ideal for challengers
Some people love challenges. If you’re one such person, consider fat bikes. Just because these bikes let you surf snowy roads or soft surfaces doesn’t mean that riding them is easy. A lot of fat bikes are single speed bikes. You need to put in lots of muscle power to push forward.
Additionally, the extra weight of the bike makes it challenging to ride. However, these challenges deliver some unique results. Firstly, you get to participate in unique fat biking competitions. Secondly, since you put in extra muscle power, you shed weight and get fit quickly.
Cons of fat bikes
Drive slowly
Most people prefer cycling to enjoy fast riding thrills. However, fat-tire bikes can keep you from such thrills. The reason – these bikes are heavier than regular bikes. So, it’s hard to drive them fast. Also, a lot of them come with only one speed. These parameters can keep speedy riders from enjoying their usual excitement.
Require practice
Riding a cycle is easy. Even if you haven’t biked before, you can learn to drive a regular bike in a day or two. However, the situation is different with fat-tire bikes. You’ve to put in plenty of effort to ride these bikes. You need more time to get used to these bikes. Plus, they feel a bit different to ride, weigh more, and take more time and power to pedal.
Costly
Regular bikes come in all pricing points. Depending on your budget, you can choose a bike for your preferences. However, fat bikes start with a higher price tag. If budget isn’t a problem, then it’s okay. However, budget shoppers may find it difficult to own even a starter fat bike.
Bottom line
Fat tire bikes come with some of the most astonishing features. They allow you to get through uneven, muddy terrains swiftly, exercise your body effectively, move in style, participate in unique competitions, and keep you connected with dear ones even while riding. However, they come with certain drawbacks too. Slow speed, higher price, and more practice requirements are the common cons of these bikes. Despite these minor cons, fat bikes make a great choice for any cycling enthusiast.